Aidan Curtis
THE State Government is looking to encourage people in Mount Gambier to apply for TAFE courses to help address skills shortages.
Over 9,100 students around South Australia have been offered TAFE positions starting in February as part of the State Government’s fee-free TAFE initiative.
Locally, however, 182 people applied for TAFE in 2023, with only 98 people being offered a spot.
Minister for Education, Training and Skills Blair Boyer said TAFE is still accepting enrolments for the first semester and encouraged people interested in learning new skills to apply.
“TAFE SA plays a critical role in helping industries facing skill shortages and giving South Australians the skills they need for the job they want,” Mr Boyer said.
“Giving locals the chance to stay in the region will not only help them upskill, but also get a high quality, secure job.
“Fee-free TAFE will change the lives of many local residents who otherwise would not be able to access training – while addressing local skills shortages in areas such as health, agriculture, hospitality, early childhood education and construction.”
Most of Mount Gambier’s most popular TAFE courses revolve around care, with Certificate IIIs in Individual Support (Disability), Individual Support (Ageing), Early Childhood Education and Care and Diploma of Nursing featuring in the top five.
The fifth most popular TAFE course is the Cert III in Beauty Services.
